A Side Effect of Regumate??

[Carouselle]

I have an extremely grumpy 15yo Haflinger mare who has early onset Cushing's. Her ACTH levels are now well under control with Prascend (Pergolide) but her temper has not improved (she first displayed her nasty side 6 months after I had bought her, in the autumn, when there is a seasonal rise in the hormone levels). She bites viciously and with no warning if her girth or chest area are touched and, having given me a nasty crush injury with her teeth damaging nerves to hand and fingers, she is now muzzled for grooming and tacking up. This behaviour has gradually increased over the 3 years I have owned her and she now resents being touched anywhere around the flanks and belly as well. (She can be sweet but usually when the weather is warm and after she has been worked.)

The vet decided to try a 12 day course of Regumate to see if her temper improved. The weekend was halfway through the course. On the Saturday we did a road hack and she was fine (she has always been absolutely fantastic on the roads and this was one of the reasons I bought her). On the Sunday we did a similar ride with the same companion and she was a different horse - hesitant, nervous, spooky and jumpy. On one occasion all 4 feet left the ground as she launched herself vertically, then coming down and staring at a tiny oil patch on the road. I had to stop traffic and force her past gardens on the wrong side of the road, there were monsters everywhere. She reminded me of a junkie having hallucinations (only having seen this on the telly you understand)!! This was totally out of character and the only thing different in her management was the addition of the Regumate. I also think that she is slightly grumpier since she has been on the Regumate.

On the vet's advice I am persevering to the end of the course and we'll review the situation then (I'll also see what she's like to hackout next weekend). However, I wondered if anyone else had come across a similar reaction to Regumate and, if so, what the outcome had been?
Did this pass and your horse become better tempered on the Regumate?
What happened when you rested her from the Regumate during the winter?
Did you try anything else such as marbling and what was the outcome of that?

Any information or advice from fellow sufferers would be much appreciated as I just want my steady even-tempered pony back!

 

[Shanta]

Hi there, better late than never I can't believe nobody else replied to you I've only just read your post! My mare was a loony when she first went on it too. It was like the worst season she ever had, screaming for a stallion, leaping about, rearing up on the lead rein! I really wondered if I'd made our situation worse! It took between two to three months for the drug to settle her down completely. In that time we also moved to a much quieter yard which helped, and unlike our previous move she didn't come into season and go made at week 2! I've since moved her back to another small yard and she yet again didn't come into season so we didn't have the previous crazy and scary behaviour we've had when she'd come into season before. She's still on it and I'm told that as she matures she may be able to come off it - sometimes it evens them out even if they're mature too so you never know.. Hope this helps even if it is a little after the event... x

 

[Carouselle]

Thanks for your post - nice to know someone else also had problems with Regumate!! We persevered to the end of the course but she didn't improve at all so the vet decided to scan for ovarian cysts. No cysts, but he did find a very deep seated uterine infection which we have been treating for the last 10 months. It just keeps coming back (I understand her cervix is very tight and she doesn't flush out automatically). Getting to the end of the road with this (and the end of the insurance claim!). She's just had further treatment and we're waiting to see if her temper improves at all. If it does we could possibly consider a hysterectomy (cost may well be prohibitive and the insurance is almost maxed out). However if her temper doesn't improve that could well be it. Over the last 3 years she has got worse and worse and I feel she is now dangerous - with the muzzle on she tries to jump on me and she's even attacking me on the lunge sometimes. I'm in my 60s and can't dive out of the way like I used to - and it's horrible constantly waiting to be attacked. It will be such a shame if I have to have her pts as she is brilliant in every other respect (I can't risk selling her or even giving her away with this kind of problem). Hope you're still having success with your mare.

 

[melbiswas]

My normally sweet and placid gelding would not let me near his flanks / rear end when he developed hind gut problems. I know this is a long shot but could anything else be going on.
? Was her grumpiness cyclical or has it been constant but worsening as his was ?

 

[Carouselle]

Definitely not cyclical. Seemed to be tied in to the infection as she improved with the first lot of treatment (April -June) - but then her mood always seems a bit better in summer. Had her rescanned when she got so nasty again and am waiting to see how this recent treatment is going. Temper has not yet improved, but it took a few weeks last time. However i need to work out if the improved temper last time was due to treatment or weather - so many variables to take into account! No go area is front of chest, between front legs, girth area and halfway back. No injuries, no sores, absolutely nothing external and the area (and nastiness) has gradually increased over the 3 years I've owned her (no history as she came over from holland on a brand new passport). Some may be learned behaviour, but she has no concept of having done anything wrong and glares at you and fronts it out after she has attacked as though it is her right!! Not a good situation..........